1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information display device for displaying information regarding an apparatus such as a copier employing the above information display device.
2) Description of the Related Art
An information display device for displaying information regarding an apparatus is employed, for example, in a copier. More specifically, the information display device displays information such as out-of-paper, out-of-toner, paper jamming and warm-up state by using predetermined messages, patterns or LED lamps.
There has been proposed in Japanese Patent Publication Kokai No. 62-200418 an information display device wherein messages are displayed sequentially or a long message is displayed, if necessary, to instruct an operator an operation method of the apparatus or how to manage a trouble in response to the input from a predetermined key (help-key).
In this type of device, messages to be displayed are set when the apparatus is manufactured. For example, when the apparatus is out of papers, a message "PAPER EMPTY" is displayed and when the apparatus is out of toner, a message "TONER EMPTY" or "*" is displayed.
Such messages should not be too short or too long for easy understanding and proper length of the messages depends on an operator's skill with the apparatus (for example, whether or not the operator can manage alone when the apparatus has some trouble), installation environment and working condition of the apparatus. Therefore, it is ideal that messages like "A4 SIZE PAPERS AVAILABLE AT THE SECOND FLOOR RECEPTION" and "TONER IS IN THE FIRST WAREHOUSE" are displayed in accordance with the operator's convenience or skill.
However, in a conventional information display device, lengths of messages to be displayed are determined supposing that an operator of average skillness operates the apparatus under normal condition, since such messages are set at the time of manufacturing, as described above. Therefore, it has been difficult to display various messages for individual users.